Liquid soap dispenser



N 1965 D. e. PERRY ETAL 3,214,733

LIQUID SOAP DISPENSER Filed Feb. 3, 1964 OM/V Q P/rf45l4/V7' INVENTORS.

United States Patent Ofice Patented Nov. 2, 1965 3,214,783 LIQUID SOAP DISPENSER David G. Perry and Finley 0. Beatty, Newport Beach, and Edwin D. Pheasant, Costa Mesa, Califi, assignors to Garner and Perry, Los Angeles, Calif., a partnershi Filed Feb. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 341,997 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-543) This invention relates to a liquid soap dispenser.

A primary object of the invention is to provide as a new article of manufacture a dispenser for liquid soaps and liquid detergents consisting essentially of a container having flexible walls in which a supply of liquid soap or liquid detergent may be kept. The walls of the container have normally closed but openable outlets formed therein which are opened primarily by the application of external pressure to the container. When the external pressure is relieved the outlets automatically close to retain the remainder of the liquid soap or detergent in the container. In this manner the container and its continued supply of liquid soap may be advantageously used in lieu of the conventional bar of soap and when the container is rubbed against surfaces that are to be washed a small amount of liquid soap will be discharged. However, when the container is deposited in a soap dish, as is the conventional bar of soap, liquid soap does not drain therefrom into the soap dish as occurs when moisture drains from the exterior of a conventional bar.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of one form of dispenser embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an edge view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 33 upon FIG. 1 in the direction indicated and illustrating one manner in which the receptacle may be refilled.

FIG. 4 is a partial view in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 44 upon FIG. 3 illustrating the container as being in the process of being refilled.

FIG. 5 is a partial view in horizontal section on an enlarged scale taken substantially upon the line 55 upon FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating an alternative form of construction.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating still another form of construction that may be employed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved dispenser consists of a container 10 preferably of such size and shape as to more or less resemble a conventional bar of soap. This container is formed of a flexible material such as polyvinyl chloride but other materials possessing similar flexibility and which are relatively inert to water, liquid soaps or liquid detergents, may be employed. The receptacle or container is preferably formed of two opposed parts 11 and 12 which are cemented or otherwise sealed to each other around their opposed edges. Within the container there is disposed a supply 13 of liquid soap or liquid detergent. On at least one wall of the container there is a multiplicity of outlets 14 which are normally closed but which can be opened to permit of egress of a small amount of liquid soap 13. These outlets in the form of constmction shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 are in the nature of tapered openings 15 which taper inwardly until they are normally closed at their inner ends. Surrounding each outlet there is an external protuberance 16 formed by thickening the wall of the container around the outlet. When any protuberance or thickening 16 on the exterior of the container is pressed against a surface to be washed the pressure causes the protuberance to be flexed inwardly. The inward flexing of the protuberance causes the normally closed inner end of the tapered opening 15 to open slightly so that liquid soap 13 may pass therethrough. This may be aided or assisted by the pressure transmitted by the flexible walls to the liquid soap 13 causing it to be expelled. The opposite wall of the container may be roughened or corrugated as indicated at 17 so that it may be used for scrubbing after the liquid soap has been discharged through the outlets 14. When so formed this wall is preferably otherwise imperforate.

The two walls 11 and 12 are preferably so formed ad jacent one edge as to provide a one-way valve means. As shown the wall 12 is provided with a flexible lip 18 that extends across and engages the top of wall 11. The nozzle 19 of a syringe 20 or similar instrument can be forced into the container, as illustrated by dotted lines 011 FIG. 3, pressing back the lip 18 and a replenishing supply of liquid soap or liquid detergent can be expelled into the container. On withdrawal of the nozzle 19 the flexibility of the lip 18 causes this one-way valve means to automatically close and confine the liquid soap in the container.

In the modification shown in FIG. 6, the external protuberances 21 that surround the tapered outlet openings 22 project a considerable distance from the exterior surface of the container. This form of construction may 'be used where the container is to be not only a liquid soap dispenser but is to serve as a shampoo brush. When the ends of the protuberances 21 are pressed against the scalp the flexure of the wall of the container thereadjacent causes the inner ends of the tapered outlets 22 to spread slightly so that liquid soap may have egress therethrough.

It is sometimes desirable to mold the Walls of the container in a manner which will be quite ornamental and, where several colors may be involved, the molding operation may be such that normally closed tapering outlets such as 15 and 22 cannot be obtained. Under such circumstances each wall of the container having outlets is made up of laminations, that is, an outer layer 23 and an inner layer 24. The outer layer has the external protuberances in which are formed outlets 26. The inner layer 24 has outlets 27 formed therein which are disaligned or just out of registration with the outlets 26. However, when the protuberances 25 are pressed against a surface to be washed they flex both walls 23 and 24 inwardly and such flexure causes the outlets 26 and 27 to be brought into partial registration with each other permitting egress of liquid soap. On relieving the pressure the walls automatically return to their normal positions wherein the outlets 26 and 27 are disaligned thus preventing further escape of soap until pressure is subsequently externally applied.

It will be appreciated from the above described construction that a liquid soap dispenser has been provided which may resemble in its appearance a bar of conventional soap. However liquid soap is only expelled at the time of washing when external pressure is applied to the container. When the pressure is relieved all outlets are automatically closed. Consequently, if the container is deposited in a soap dish the liquid soap in the container does not continue to leak through the outlets. Whenever the supply of liquid soap becomes diminished in the container it may be replaced by means of a syringe 20 or similar article.

Various changes may 'be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a container having flexible walls in which there is a plurality of normally closed openable outlets, a liquid detergent in the container, the walls having protuberances surrounding the outlets which on being depressed will cause the outlets to open to permit egress of the detergent, and one-way valve means in one of the walls premitting refilling of the container but preventing egress therethrough.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a container having at least one flexible wall made up of at least two laminations, said laminations having disaligned but closely adjacent apertures therein forming normally closed but openable outlets the outer lamination having external protuberances adjacent its outlets which on being depressed will cause the outlets in the two laminations to at least partially register and permit of egress therethrough.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,264,666 4/18 Ljungstrom 15582 X 1,418,019 5/22 Pearson 15576 X 2,075,249 3/37 Wilson 222-501 2,162,970 6/39 Bambach 15582 X 2,835,911 4/53 Mahmarian 15543 2,913,748 11/59 Felter 15582 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. AS A NEW ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A CONTAINER HAVING FLEXIBLE WALLS IN WHICH THERE IS A PLURALITY OF NORMALLY CLOSED OPENABLE OUTLETS, A LIQUID DETERGENT IN THE CONTAINER, THE WALLS HAVING PROTUBERANCES SURROUNDING THE OUTLETS WHICH ON BEING DEPRESSED WILL CAUSE THE OUTLETS TO OPEN TO PERMIT EGRESS OF THE DETERGENT, AND ONE-WAY VALVE MEANS IN ONE OF THE WALLS PERMITTING REFILLING OF THE CONTAINER BUT PREVENTING EGRESS THERETHROUGH. 